Roe deer, entangled in football goal, saved

Volunteer rescuers from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) were called out to attend a deer rescue with a difference on 11 June 2014 after receiving a report of a deer with its antlers entangled in a child’s football goal.

The risky rescue took place at the edge of Abbotts Wood about a five minute walk from Robin Post Lane, Hailsham. Two ambulances attended on site and rescuers searched for the deer before discovering it at the edge of the wood in tall vegetation.

“As we approached the deer it dragged the netting and metal poles from the damaged frame with it and it slide[d] into a dry ditch” said Trevor Weeks MBE from WRAS.

Trevor had to tackle the deer and pin it to the floor. The deer’s head was then covered and the netting was then cut away.

“You have a 30 minute window in which to cut these deer free of they risk having a heart attack” added Trevor.

After spending about five minutes working on the deer the netting was cut free and the metal poles and remaining netting was cleared out the away before Trevor jumped off the deer allowing it to get up and run off back to the wild.

“The rescues are guaranteed to get your heart racing but it is so good to see the results of your efforts, when the deer run back off to the wild” said WRAS Trustee Kathy Martin.

The YouTube text with the video says:

As you can see he was very happy to run off free. His mate appeared to be in the nearby field and had been seen with him when he was first found.